Reality Making Magic
by Adreus
Summary: Emil demonstrates how reality making magic works, and Ratatosk how it... doesn't. —Richter, Emil; Ratatosk.


**Notes: **Because poor, poor Ratatosk had to suffer through it all too many times, probably more than we did.

_Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World _is property of Namco, I claim no rights.

* * *

_Reality Making Magic_

* * *

Actually, Ratatosk lied. He did that from time to time.

Truthfully, he was perfectly capable of leaving the Ginnungagap, though only to Emil's earthly body. More over, if he chose to do this, then Emil would be returned temporarily to the room, whereupon he could speak and interact with Richter and the centurions as much as he pleased. The first time Ratatosk switched with Emil, he warned both Richter and Emil posthaste and then quickly switched so that it was he, not Emil, present on the tenth anniversary date of Marta and Emil's companionship.

Despite Ratatosk's hasty efforts, the reunion of Richter and Emil was at first nothing more than awkward silence.

"Oh, um, hi, Richter," Emil said nervously as he took in the area around him. It had been ten years since he had been there. Emil had visibly grown since then, albeit a lot less than he should have because of the elven blood in Richter's body.

It wasn't that Emil wasn't brave. It was that he hadn't seen Richter for ten years, either, and nervousness was something he had always felt in the man's presence.

"Hello, Emil," Richter replied nonchalantly, barely acknowledging the young man's presence. He turned a page in his book as he simply sat there, burning. It was a strange sight, seeing Richter burn so calmly, but Emil supposed that Richter had gotten over the whole 'screaming in anguish from the eternal pain' thing after a while.

Emil smiled and laughed nervously, wondering how long Ratatosk would take on the date. He thought about how long _he_ would want to spend with Marta after not seeing her for ten years and nearly let out a cry at the realization that he'd most likely be staying the night.

He glanced at Richter and wondered: What would Aster do?

It was something he had been doing ever since he had left Ratatosk ten years ago. Richter had insisted that Emil live a human life in Aster's place, so Emil would often wonder what Aster would have wanted, too. Still, he didn't usually get answers when it came to this. After all, why would he? Emil had never known Aster; he only looked like him.

Sighing, Emil sat down on the floor, his thoughts drifting as his gaze lingered on the door to Niflheim. He wondered if Tenebrae was busy—he would have quite liked to see him again. He'd never gotten over no longer being a three man band and missed all of the monsters they had befriended on their journey terribly.

He didn't know how much time had passed before his boredom started to eat through him and his jealousy began to grow. While Ratatosk was out on a date, likely having an enjoyable time sweeping Marta off her feet, Emil was stuck here, watching Richter just sit there and read. One would think reading for eternity would grow just as boring as burning, and without the pain to occasionally excite him.

Again Emil thought of Aster and wondered if Richter had always been like this, even back then. If he had, Emil didn't understand how Aster could stand it.

What was so interesting about a book, anyway?

Emil squinted at the cover from where he sat but couldn't make out what it said. Curiosity getting the better of him, he inched closer in a futile attempt to get a better view of the cover. With no luck he inched closer and closer to Richter, until finally he was so close that if he scooted a tiny bit more, he would startle Richter (which, by the expression on Richter's face, was not a good idea). There, he finally read the title from an inch away and nearly with his head resting on Richter's (burning?) lap; all because of the angle the half-elf was holding the book at. (The flames did not harm Emil, just as they seemed to neither harm the book nor Richter himself).

"_Water Element Monsters, and Where to Find Them_?" Emil read aloud, before he could stop himself.

Richter sighed, bookmarked the page, and moved the book away so that they could see each other's faces. Raising an eyebrow he said, "Yes, Emil?"

It was a rather awkward position without the book between them, and Emil didn't have much to say. Was that the beginnings of a blush? "I, um."

"Haven't changed a bit, have you?"

Emil withdrew himself and stood, refusing to meet Richter's eyes. "I was just wondering what you were reading, is all," he confessed lamely.

Richter pressed, "You couldn't have just asked?"

"Um. You looked, uh, busy, so I..." He trailed off, admittedly having nothing else to say.

With amusement evident in his expression Richter shook his head, and let out a 'heh.' A rare occurance, this 'heh' was something that was akin to a laugh for the half elf.

"Richter!" Emil exclaimed excitedly, his eyes wide. "You laughed again!" Then with his own laugh and a big smile, Emil added: "Is that a new record? Twice in ten years?"

Richter began, "Aster once said—"

"—'Courage is the magic that turns dreams into reality,' I know, I know. Geez, Richter, is that all Aster ever said?"

"That wasn't what I was about to say."

"Oh yeah?" Emil asked, glad that now they were talking. It had been a long ten years.

* * *

Half-way through one of Richter's stories about Aster, Ratatosk came back.

"How was your date?" Richter asked with a hint of amusement.

Ratatosk _glared_ at him, and muttered sarcastically, "Fantastic."

"Oh?"

"I took her back to Emil's place near the end of it, right? And evidently the kid hasn't put in."

"No shock there," Richter said, nodding.

Ratatosk laughed coldly. "So I tell her about how he's been dreaming of this night for so long, and if it was alright with her, because I'm a _gentlemanly_ summon spirit. And do you know what she said? Do you know what she said, Richter Abend?"

"No. What did she say?"

"She said, 'Courage is the magic that turns dreams into reality.' She said _that_. You know what? The next person to say that dies a horrible, gruesome, bloody death. It's my new law for the worst turn off _ever_."

"Funny," Richter said casually, retrieving his book. "You killed the first person to say that, too."

Ratatosk looked him in the eye and was about to say something, but closed his mouth before it came out. He thought for a moment, and then finally said: "And now you know why."


End file.
